Hand Dryers installed in C-Building

Date posted: June 27, 2013

No more will you see students struggle to pull a paper towel from the dispensers in Student Union building restrooms. Recently installed Mitsubishi Hand Dryers are revolutionizing our hand drying experience here at Bellevue College.

This project is the result of a student led initiative funded by the SESF (Student Environmental Sustainability Fund). This fund has funded projects such as solar panels and electric car chargers. The motivation for switching to the hand dryers has several parts to it. First of all, from an environmental standpoint, the reduction of a dependence on forestry and cutting down trees is always a plus. By relying on disposable items for such a common, everyday act is extremely wasteful. From a social justice standpoint, the paper towel dispensers we have replaced were next to impossible for students with disabilities to utilize as it required both hand to bull down at the same time. The new hand dryers are set at a height so as to be ADA accessible.

These hand dryers were part of a pilot project in the Student Union building. They are located in the male and female bathrooms on the ground floor. With a positive response from students, the hope is that the project can be funded for expansions to get hand driers in all the bathrooms on campus.